2020 Pikes The Merle Reserve Riesling

Named after the family matriarch, ‘The Merle’ is selected from the best parcels of Riesling on the Pikes Polish Hill River Estate. Only produced in exceptional years it’s fermented in stainless steel tanks and spends 3 months on lees to provide additional depth and texture.
Brilliant water like core with a faint greenish tinge running around the edges. Leaping out of the glass are powerful lime, citrus and orange rind aromatics with talc and subtle steely mineral notes also evident. An intense hit of lemon and lime fruits bursts across the palate underpinned by racy, taut like acidity. Elements of orange rind, chalky minerals, talc and wet stone then flow onto the back half. The fantastic acid structure winds things up tightly and provides great focus but in no way dampens the superb fruit intensity. Finishes dry, steely and super long.
Drink over the next 8-10 years.
Alc. 12%

Other Reviews….
Pikes' flagship, but also a Clare Valley flagship. It's not often a 6-month-old riesling can be described as luscious, but that's the impact of this wine. It's citrus focused, of course, and it also has keynote acidity, but it's the honeyed mouthfeel and flavour that hits the jackpot. Drink by 2035.
98 points
James Halliday – The Australian Wine Companion